Definitions for describe
dɪˈskraɪbde·scribe

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. describe, depict, draw(verb)

   give a description of

   "He drew an elaborate plan of attack"

2. report, describe, account(verb)

   to give an account or representation of in words

   "Discreet Italian police described it in a manner typically continental"

3. trace, draw, line, describe, delineate(verb)

   make a mark or lines on a surface

   "draw a line"; "trace the outline of a figure in the sand"

4. identify, discover, key, key out, distinguish, describe, name(verb)

   identify as in botany or biology, for example

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. describe(Verb)

   To represent in words.

   The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant.

2. describe(Verb)

   To give rise to a geometrical structure.

3. describe(Verb)

   To scientifically reveal a new species by technically explaining its characteristics and particularly how it differs from other species.

   The fungus was first described by a botanist.

Origin: From descriven, from descrivre, from describo, from de + scribo; see scribe and shrive.

Webster Dictionary(1.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Describe(verb)

   to represent by drawing; to draw a plan of; to delineate; to trace or mark out; as, to describe a circle by the compasses; a torch waved about the head in such a way as to describe a circle

2. Describe(verb)

   to represent by words written or spoken; to give an account of; to make known to others by words or signs; as, the geographer describes countries and cities

3. Describe(verb)

   to distribute into parts, groups, or classes; to mark off; to class

4. Describe(verb)

   to use the faculty of describing; to give a description; as, Milton describes with uncommon force and beauty

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(4.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Describe

   dē-skrīb′, v.t. to trace out or delineate: to give an account of.—adj. Describ′able.—n. Describ′er. [L. describĕre—de, down, and scribĕre, scriptum, to write.]

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2425

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2430

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'describe' in Verbs Frequency: #93

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Chaldean Numerology is: 7

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of describe in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of describe in a Sentence

1. Board Chairman Jonathan Welch:

   Tragic, horrific, none describe it.

2. Aaron Cook:

   I don't really know how to describe it.

3. Stendhal:

   To describe happiness is to diminish it.

4. Ken Griffin:

   It's hard to describe that kind of betrayal.

5. Bhim Bahadur Gurung:

   I just can't describe things. I have no words.

Images & Illustrations of describe

Popularity rank by frequency of use